Interim Managing Director - Business Stabilisation & Turnaround

Location: Singapore
Employment type: Full-time, six-month contract
Monthly salary: SGD 17,000-25,000
Potential outcome: Extension or conversion to a permanent leadership appointment

The Opportunity

Career Zoom has been exclusively engaged to identify an experienced interim business leader for an established multi-site consumer and hospitality business in Singapore.

The organisation is undertaking a significant business stabilisation and operational transformation programme. We are seeking a commercially astute, hands-on executive who can assume overall responsibility for the business, establish financial and operational stability, execute difficult decisions and create a credible path towards sustainable profitability.

This is not a conventional advisory or consulting assignment. The successful candidate must be prepared to enter the business, take ownership of outcomes and personally drive execution.

The appointment may suit an experienced CEO, Managing Director, COO, operational CFO, Chief Restructuring Officer, operating partner or former business owner with direct turnaround experience. The precise title is less important than the individual's ability, judgement and willingness to deliver.

Key Responsibilities

Assume executive responsibility for the day-to-day management and stabilisation of the business.
Conduct a rapid assessment of business performance, liquidity, operational risks and immediate priorities.
Establish rigorous cash-flow visibility and strengthen short-term liquidity management.
Develop and execute a practical turnaround and business stabilisation plan.
Review the performance of individual operating locations and identify the appropriate actions for profitable, marginal and underperforming units.
Lead the restructuring, consolidation or closure of underperforming locations where required.
Personally manage sensitive commercial negotiations with landlords, suppliers, creditors and other stakeholders.
Evaluate contractual obligations and develop commercially viable solutions in conjunction with the company's professional advisers.
Prioritise payables and manage working capital within a cash-constrained operating environment.
Maintain continuity across viable operations while restructuring other parts of the business.
Provide decisive leadership to employees during a period of significant organisational change.
Retain critical talent, strengthen accountability and rebuild employee confidence.
Review head-office structures, duplicated responsibilities, costs and operational inefficiencies.
Manage potential reputational, employee and stakeholder concerns with sound judgement.
Work closely with shareholders and the board, providing clear and timely reporting on risks, decisions and progress.
Develop a longer-term operating model capable of delivering sustainable profitability and growth.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will ideally possess:

Significant leadership experience as a CEO, Managing Director, COO, operational CFO, restructuring executive, operating partner or business owner.
Direct experience stabilising, restructuring or turning around a financially or operationally challenged business.
Demonstrable ownership of execution-not solely advisory, analytical or consulting experience.
Strong financial acumen, including cash-flow management, working capital, payables and short-term liquidity planning.
Experience conducting difficult negotiations with landlords, suppliers, creditors or other commercial stakeholders.
The ability to make sound decisions despite incomplete information, competing priorities and time pressure.
Strong operational leadership across a multi-site or service-oriented environment.
The credibility and communication skills to work effectively with shareholders, employees and external stakeholders.
High levels of resilience, integrity, pragmatism and personal accountability.
The willingness to remain close to day-to-day operations and address issues personally when required.
Availability to commence the assignment at short notice.

Experience within F&B, restaurants, hospitality, retail, consumer services or another multi-location operating environment would be highly advantageous. Candidates from other sectors will also be considered if they can demonstrate directly relevant turnaround and execution experience.

What Success Will Look Like

During the initial six-month engagement, the interim leader will be expected to:

Establish control and visibility over the company's immediate financial position.
Stabilise critical business operations and stakeholder relationships.
Execute agreed restructuring and cost-management initiatives.
Improve the commercial performance of the viable business.
Establish clear organisational accountability and strengthen leadership discipline.
Present shareholders with a credible roadmap towards sustainable profitability and future growth.

For the right individual, there may be an opportunity to extend the assignment or transition into a permanent senior leadership position.

Application Information

Candidates should apply with an updated CV and provide the following information:

Current or most recent monthly fixed compensation.
Expected monthly compensation for a six-month assignment.
Notice period or earliest possible starting date.
Current right-to-work status in Singapore.
A brief description of a business stabilisation, restructuring or turnaround that they personally led.
The scale of the business, operating challenge and measurable outcome achieved.
Details of any multi-site F&B, hospitality, retail or consumer-sector experience.

All applications and discussions will be treated in strict confidence.

Only candidates whose experience is closely aligned with the assignment will be contacted.

Interim Managing Director Business Stabilisation & Turnaround